by C C Roth
“You know, Sam you and I aren’t such different animals in the harsh light of day. We share in so many similar struggles that we could practically be related,” he smiled at me proudly.
I laughed as I thought about it, then raised my arm next to his comparing the strong contrast in our skin color.
“Well perhaps not blood relatives but you can see what I mean, can’t you? We share in the human struggle for survival but also for something more. You and I are both afflicted with a desire for greatness. A desire to excel at what we overcome and conquer. You and I are both warriors.”
I laughed again and rolled my eyes. He was working up to a speech. “Wow, do people in your life really eat this crap up?”
“Yes,” he chuckled. “No, I am very serious. Look at you. I bet no one sees you coming. In fact, I would wager all the chocolate in Switzerland that in your short life, you have surprised every person you have ever come into contact with. Am I right?”
“You could say that. You could also say that I scared the shit out of them before I killed them.”
He didn’t recoil. He didn’t flinch. He simply smiled at me proudly as a father would to his child. “You see Sam, this is why I find so much potential within you. You know yourself and you aren’t afraid to show the world who you really are. You will truly be bound for greatness if you stay true to yourself and follow your instincts along the rocky paths this world will throw at you. You have so many struggles ahead of you, but I sense a warrior within that will conquer everyone and everything you pass. Do you feel it too?”
“Wow, you’re a lot. This bullshit just pours out of you, huh? You should probably get that looked at.”
“I am serious. Don’t you feel your potential?”
I shrugged my face up thoughtfully, “Sometimes I do. Sometimes I feel invincible and powerful like I can do anything,” I hesitated.
“But?”
“But now I feel like I have no control at all, like something else inside me is really the one with all the power.”
“I knew it. You are a true warrior. Don’t be so afraid of that inner voice, of your inner warrior. The two of you will conquer the world if you choose.”
His response had me instinctively breathing a sigh of relief and for a moment I felt calm…like I was wasn’t wearing a mask for once. I looked at Mitchell and he looked at me, the real me and he wasn’t scared or trying to fix me or running away. He was smiling. I wish I could have seen him for what he really was, but I was blinded by the need to feel accepted and warm. He was folding me into his family, and like an idiot I was going with open arms.
“Sam I’m so glad we’ve met. You, I feel, are going to be an important part of our future. No, not just important. You might even be the key.”
“Right. I don’t know about that but thanks.”
“Your mission in Freemont was impressive and incidentally helpful to our cause. I know I walk like a politician, but I support The Resistance.”
“I’d hardly call it a mission. How did you hear about that anyway?”
“Our organization has eyes and ears everywhere. Sometimes where you’d least expect.” He winked knowingly. “Nice work by the way. You accomplished a lot for such a young age.”
“Thanks, but again it wasn’t a mission. I just wanted my brother safe. Really we just got lucky.”
“No, you didn’t. You took the steps that got you there. You made it happen. Don’t sell yourself short. No one is ever going to give you the credit and accomplishments you deserve, believe me. You have to take them for yourself and tell the world about them.”
He’s as nuts as you are.
“Yeah I don’t know about the telling the world part. I don’t think I’d want the whole world looking at me.”
“Hmm, just wait. There may come a day when you feel differently about that.”
“Mitchell, you’re kind of a nut. You know that, right?”
“Without a doubt. I feel it is far better to be considered insane than to blindly follow those that went before you. Don’t you think?”
We sat there together, just the two of us as equals and honestly it was nice. Before the virus I was always odd, in the wrong, or trying to lie my way out of something. But talking with Mitchell there wasn’t any of that. He seemed to see me…like Nia used to. It was almost enough to make me feel happy. This was what I wanted Mike to see in him.
“Okay, Mitchell. You win. But I can’t sell this mission to my brother on a line of bullshit. What is this place really? I mean the garden out back, the locked room in the basement, the creepy followers living in the house…what is this?”
“It’s exactly as it seems. The garden we had from before. It was part of the Feed the City initiative I started. It was meant to give our children purpose, a sense of accomplishment, and the experience of caring for others in the community. It was quite daring at the time because many of these children never experienced someone caring for them so affording them the opportunity to care for others was incredibly empowering.”
“Uh-huh. I’m not voting I just want answers.”
He chuckled. “Your skepticism is refreshing. But is it so hard to believe that I am invested in this home?”
“No, it’s not. It is hard to believe that when you had the chance to cut and run, to save yourself, you decided to stay. This city is trashed, and it didn’t happen overnight. You could have left, everyone else did.”
“Yes, well. I suppose my motives weren’t totally altruistic. When my girls…” he sighed and turned his head away from me slightly. “When my wife and daughters became sick, I felt responsible. I had wanted us to stay to take in those that needed help. It was still early on and FEMA was a week away, the neighbors were panicking themselves out of the city and only spreading the virus in the process. If we had left then, these children would have had no one. It didn’t occur to me things would get worse, that the virus would be fatal. After my girls died, I just couldn’t leave. I realized that by my leaving they would have died for nothing. Living alone with the knowledge they had died because of me, for a cause I could so quickly abandon, that would have been worse than death. So, I dug in and saved as many as I could. And I suppose it turned out alright. My heart will never be full without them, but my conscience is somewhat eased every time I see a new face in this home. So yes, it is crowded, noisy, and an enormous challenge but this is real. Does that answer your question?”
“Mostly. What’s with the locked room in the basement?”
“A safe place for supplies and dangerous weapons I don’t want the children playing with. A charitable donation from some of my connections. They didn’t have muscle to spare but they had weapons by the crate. We are at war, after all, and the weapons help us sleep at night. Now have I put you at ease?”
“I’m always at ease.”
“Excellent. Now we can be friends and it will behoove you to know that I always look out for my friends, Samantha.”
“I’m more of a do-it-yourself type, but thanks.”
“Indeed. There may come a day when that is no longer true. No man or woman is an island. We all need things, people to survive. It’s how we’re wired.”
“Uh-huh. Well I might be wired a little differently than most.”
He chuckled. “I know. But there is strength in our differences.”
Suddenly our bubble popped when Karina appeared out front and called Mitchell inside.
“Mitchell, Station Two is on the phone.”
“Right, on my way.” He stood and placed his hand over his chest with a bow. “Samantha, it has been a pleasure talking with you. I hope to do it again soon. I would shake your hand, but I hear handshakes are out this year.” He grinned and ran up the steps, his loafers making a muted tap as he ran.
Who wears dress shoes for no reason? And what was Station Two?
Karina stayed behind on the front stoop staring at me.
“Can I help you with something?” My tone was taunting, practically begging for a
fight.
“Just trying to figure you out.”
“Well if you solve it let me know.” I turned back around ignoring her.
“Don’t worry, I will. Mitchell certainly seems to think he knows you. I keep telling him we can’t trust your little group, but he’s convinced that you will be our saviors or something,” she laughed at the word. “Can you imagine it? A sixteen-year-old girl saves the day.” She circled around in front of me and looked down with her hands on her hips. “You’re just a kid and not a very bright one at that.”
She was still stunning even when she was insulting me. I could see why the guys were so infatuated with her. And compared to her I was just a kid. She had curves that no amount of time would ever bestow upon me.
“For someone who doesn’t trust us you sure are spending a lot of time with my brother. Is that what you do with everyone you don’t trust? Invite them into your bedroom?”
Her cheeks flushed but she tried to laugh it off. “You really are young aren’t you, you couldn’t possibly understand.”
“Are you just going to keep telling me I’m younger than you, because this is getting super boring. I know what my age is. I know my age doesn’t stop me from doing anything. And I also know your nasty little secret,” I said knowingly.
She baulked and threw her head back sending her curls tumbling around her shoulders. “My secret? You have got to be joking.”
I stood up quickly and met her gaze only inches apart. “I know you aren’t who you pretend to be and you’re afraid everyone will see it. You’re afraid all the time. And you’re afraid of me right now.” My words were full of venom and steel. I stood toe to toe with her and watched her eyes widen with surprise. “What’s wrong? You thought you could intimidate me because you’re older or bigger? I’ve killed men bigger than you, so I doubt you’d give me any trouble. I have a darkness inside me that could swallow you whole in seconds if I let it.” I didn’t bother to hide the smile creeping across my face as the fear crept across hers.
She shuddered ever so slightly then fake-smiled again to hide it. “You are a freak.” She spun around on her boots and stomped back inside.
“No one has ever said that to me before. Thank you, I had no idea.” I waved goodbye with exaggeration just for spite and laughed to myself for a few minutes.
She didn’t see that coming.
“No, she didn’t.”
4 Icebergs Don’t Emote
Isaw little of Mike over the next day as I did my best to be patient about telling Mitchell we would accept his Quantum lab challenge. My mind was already set on it and the coldness inside me was blood thirsty, aching for some action. Mike was off brooding, probably complaining about me to Karina. Ugh, eye roll. Navin told me to just chill out and blend in while we were there but it was harder for me to get along with the others in the house, mainly because I didn’t want to. I was getting bored. So bored, I had started a game with the group of little girls who had taken to following me around like a swarm of bees. Always buzzing and humming with whispers and giggles. Occasionally they would send one of their own out to test me so I would hiss at her like an angry cat, sending her scurrying back to the hive for protection. They’d run away shrieking and start plotting another attempt to talk to me. I thought it was hilarious, but I guess not everyone in the house agreed.
“Wow, Sam. Really?” Navin stared at me in sarcastic shock. “I thought the guys downstairs were kidding. You’re attacking the little people now?”
“What? They’re laughing. It’s a game.”
“Yeah, not a good game. Come on, Crazypants, let’s go. You need a break. It’s too peopley in here for you.”
I got all giddy and jumped up and down. “Seriously? But I’m supposed to be blending in, remember?”
“Yeah well, that was a terrible idea and I’m pretty sure you’re going to kill someone if you’re in this house another minute. Let’s go.” He threw his arm around my shoulders and led me to the front door.
I squeezed him with appreciation. “You are my new favorite person!”
We stopped at the row of lockers to grab our packs and Navin looked me over curiously.
“Cool jacket. Where’d you get it?”
“Oh, Karina let me borrow it. It’s nice, right?” I spun in a circle and modeled my new accessory.
Almost as if on cue, Karina bellowed from upstairs, “Who took my favorite jacket?”
Navin did his signature head shake as I laughed and bolted for the door. “Well I didn’t say she knew that I borrowed it.”
He let me drive and in seconds we were roaring through the deserted city streets, the wind whipping my ponytail around as adrenaline fed my starving body. Navin fidgeted nervously as if he was looking for more seatbelts. He was being sweet by indulging me so of course, I had to test a few limits. Like all the speed limits and the limit for how many times I could take a turn at 50 mph before the car would flip and the limit for how many times I could close my eyes and yell “look, no hands!” before Navin’s head exploded. The answer for that one was two. Two times and he lost his shit. There wasn’t another soul in the city that day, at least not out in the streets, and it felt like we had the world to ourselves.
“You hungry?” he yelled over the radio blasting.
“Always.”
“Let’s make a run and see what we can find.”
He pointed ahead then gestured for me to turn right. I jerked the car to a screeching halt in front of an old pub and realized we were surrounded by bars, restaurants, and shops. It reminded me of years ago, when my dad would take us to Reds games downtown and we’d stop to eat before walking to the stadium. I hated the crowds, but we always had a blast. Hopping out of the car and readying my rifle, I took a quick scan up and down the street. The concrete jungle loomed over us, but I saw no movement. Just the sad remains of what terrified locals had left behind. All the first-floor windows had been broken out and there was debris up and down the sidewalks; discarded piles that people couldn’t carry as they looted and panicked like ants in a rainstorm. Navin put on his gloves and set his mask around his neck, nodding for me to do the same.
“This way,” he pointed down the block to an alley.
Even the abandoned cars along the street had been broken into and ransacked. Up ahead, I could just make out a human arm hanging sadly out of the passenger seat of a white mommy-wagon parked six cars away. It hung in limbo, permanently pointing to a Dead End sign.
I burst out laughing, unable to control myself. “Look!” I pointed through my giggles.
He stared at the hand then back at me. “You really do worry me.”
“Geez, you know it wouldn’t kill you to lighten up a little.”
“True, but it wouldn’t kill you to not laugh at dead people.”
“Noted. No laughing at dead bodies. What are we even doing here, Navin? This place is trashed. It looks like everywhere was looted pretty early on.”
“Yeah, almost all of these were hit when people freaked and tried to leave the cities right after the X-bomb hit.”
“X-bomb? Nice.”
“Thanks, I thought you’d like that,” he winked. “But I was talking to one of the guys back at the house and he said he thought there was one place that might not have been noticed in all the chaos. It’s supposed to be tucked back here in this alley.”
“Well why haven’t they checked it out yet?”
“I guess following orders is a pretty big deal for them and Mitchell told them to leave it.”
“Huh. Well, good thing we don’t care about orders, right?”
“Right.”
I slowly turned in a circle as we walked, making sure to watch our backs. My finger was poised and ready in case anyone in the area was watching. It wasn’t the same as being in the safety of the woods back at the cabin. Out in the open I felt so exposed, like anyone could be waiting just around the corner or behind the next door. I had to admit though the rush of thinking about putting our skills to work
was exciting.
Maybe we will, if we’re lucky.
Glass crunched under our boots as we passed by another pub’s entrance. The door hung lazily open and from a quick peek it seemed like someone had one hell of a party then set the place on fire. Everything was scorched black and gnarled into a gruesome shadow of what it used to be.
That would’ve been epic.
“Fire? Really?”
“Huh?” Navin asked, turning around.
Crap, I really needed to stop talking to myself. “Nothing, just this place was torched. Looks like it was a pretty big fire.”
“Oh, right. C’mon, it’s down here.”
We turned the corner to find the alley was totally blocked with cars parked bumper to bumper. All the doors were opened, and it appeared as if someone had used them as a barricade. We climbed up on top of the first trunk and walked across them like a bridge to get to the building entrance. There was a big yellow symbol on the door, one I didn’t recognize, and a small square window covered from the inside.
“So, what’s the deal?” I asked as I hopped off the crappy sedan and landed in between the brick building and the wedged car doors. “Why would Mitchell want this place off limits? It doesn’t look special.”
“He probably didn’t think there was anything worthwhile inside, but I used to hang out in a place like this back home so I’m guessing there’s at least vending machines and a kitchen too.”
“Okay. So, what is it?”
He smiled. “Really? Look at the sign.”
I stared at the door again and shrugged. It was just a goofy looking yellow circle with a face.
“I am constantly surprised by your lack of pop culture knowledge. This is an arcade and that,” he said pointing to the yellow symbol on the door, “is Pac-Man.”
“And I would know that why?”
“You grew up with TV right? Internet, all that stuff? You weren’t like, locked in a closet your whole life, were you?”
“Nope. No closet.”
“You’re so lucky you met me. Your normal human training starts now.”
